The Internet is simply the greatest invention since sliced bread. Of course, if you ask my husband, he'll tell you it's the second greatest invention since beer.
Some women in my age group - think wannabe Real Housewives of Orange County - are a bit intimidated by what you can do online.
Oh, we're all comfortable enough going online and getting email, maybe make a hotel reservation or buy tickets, but past that and you may as well be asking us to remodel the kitchen. Check that. For many of us, remodeling the kitchen would be a snap, but navigating a confusing array of web pages sends us running from the computer.
We find our favorite sites, and then we stick with them. Getting us to change is tough. But once you have us, and as long as you don't lie, cheat or steal from us, we'll love you forever. Sort of like husbands, come to think of it.
One reason I really love the Internet is how easy it makes it to stay in touch with anybody. Until recently, that meant anybody with an email address. After all, my mom, who's in her 80s, would no more sit down in front of a PC than fly to Antarctica. To her, both are cold places best left to scientists.
Of course, we all know that PC's are a lot more useful than a trip to Antarctica. Our age group of women have experienced first hand how easy it makes it to stay connected with our children. I know a woman who's main contact with her son at college is his Facebook page. And that's OK. It beats the old days, when she probably wouldn't have heard from him at all.
But back to women, and older men, like my mom. I mentioned that the Internet now helps us stay in touch with ANYBODY. How can that be possible if mom or dad don't have an email address? Simple - easy photo printing on the Internet.
Just go to one of the many photo sharing sites online - type "easy photo sharing" or "easy photo printing" into your browser or search engine - and see what pops up. Pick the photo sharing site you're most comfortable with, and then load a few photos.
Then, have prints sent directly to mom, dad, a favorite aunt, your recluse brother who doesn't show his face to the world from the time the NFL starts in August until the Super Bowl, and then goes into mourning for six months.
It's fast and easy. If the photo sharing site doesn't let you do this in less than 10 minutes for just a few photos, then find another photo sharing service. There are fast and easy ones out there.
A fair warning, however. Once you start sharing photos like this, you'll get hooked. You'll start creating photo albums of your daughters high school graduation, your new kitchen, your pets ... you'll build online digital scrapbooks of your favorite photos ... you'll have one more way that you can keep your family and friends together, sharing, laughing, loving. And, no matter what my husband says, that makes the Internet a whole lot better than beer!
